The removal of radioactively contaminated soil, rocks and other debris from the bottom of an excavation presents special problems. At present, commercially available digging tools require manual operations to effect such soil removal. In particular, the basic method now used employs a digging tool including a manually operated movable lever which, in turn, operates a movable jaw through the action of a connecting bar. This tool is relatively difficult to use, particularly for deep excavations.
As mentioned above and described in detail below, the present invention involves the provision of a pneumatically-operated tool. Pneumatically operated digging tools are, of course, not new and examples of such tools are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,807,589 (Shovick) and 4,327,509 (Bean). There are also many different digging tools which include a movable jaw which cooperates with a non-movable jaw to provide the digging action. Examples of such tools include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 226,118 (Scheidler); 2,140,430 (Lynch); 3,139,299 (Bowen); and 3,369,834 (Miles).